Texas has Failing Grades in Obligations of Child Find

Texas, I am sad to say, has low grades in its obligations of Child Find. Child Find is a legal requirement that schools find all children who have disabilities and who may be entitled to special education services. Child Find covers every child from birth through age 21. The school must evaluate any child that it knows or suspects may have a disability.

The recent findings in a report and letter from the Dept of Education’s Ruth Ryder, Special Education Director states : “OSEP’s monitoring demonstrated that TEA did not ensure that all ISDs in the State properly identified, located, and evaluated all children with disabilities residing in the State who were in need of special education and related services, as required by 34 CFR §300.111, and consequently, failed to make FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) available to all eligible children with disabilities residing in the State, as required by 34 CFR §300.101.” I believe that this report is telling Texas to get with the program and the Feds are watching thankfully.